


Blow

by wisia



Series: Luck & Dice [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: College, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-11 05:52:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2056236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhodey was going to be blowing a lot of dice for luck. But what else was he going to say to a teary fourteen year old Tony?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blow

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this:
> 
> http://americachavez.tumblr.com/post/93336326738/im-fuckin-dying-tony-calls-rhodey-honey-bear

“Hey,” Rhodey said and tried not to sigh at the fact that a gangly fourteen year old boy was on his bed. Huddled underneath the covers and just taking over Rhodey’s space in general. And Rhodey wasn’t kidding about that because he found a bolt in his cereal this morning, and he didn’t play with bolts or nuts or bits of metal and wires. It nearly broke Rhodey’s teeth, and that was a bill that Rhodey just couldn’t afford. And he had Tony to thank for it. His freaking resident genius right here.

Tony didn’t answer as Rhodey dropped his book bag down. He snagged a chair, turned it around to face the bed and plopped down on it heavily. Then Rhodey crossed his arms over the back of the chair, rested his chin on his arms and stared at the lump on his bed with a critical eye. Rhodey didn’t want to deal with this right now because Tony was in the throes of puberty at the moment and had all the wonderful mood swings that went with it. Plus, he had a physics test to study for. Though, Tony would deny that he was in any way illogical on account of his hormones.

“I’m a genius,” Tony remarked earlier when Rhodey had mentioned it after Tony did something bizarre that screamed emotional and social ineptness.

“And you are still a kid,” Rhodey had shot back. Of course, none of that fun conversation was going to help Rhodey right now. Not when Tony was still wrapped up in his blankets and being a general space taker. Who was lying quiet still and didn’t seem to acknowledge his presence.

“Tony?” Rhodey questioned because the kid wasn’t answering. In fact, Tony was being uncharacteristically quiet. Normally, Tony would be talking Rhodey’s ear off and in spite of Rhodey’s efforts—god knows he tried—Tony couldn’t shut up.

“Tones?” Rhodey questioned again. “What’s wrong?”

He reached out a hand and prodded Tony gently.

“Go away.” Tony’s voice was muffled.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Rhodey said. “Seeing how that is my bed you’re lying on.”

“Not your bed,” Tony said.

“Right.” And Rhodey got up and pushed the chair away. In one quick motion, he grabbed the blanket and sheets, pulling them straight off Tony.

“Rhodey!” Tony whined. He looked like a mess. Face was all pale, and eyes were red as if he had been crying. Dear lord, Rhodey thought. Give me strength.

“What happened?” Rhodey asked again and dropped the blankets at the foot of the bed.

“Nothing.” Tony scrubbed his face with the back of his hand. Then he smiled.

“So, what’s up honeybear?”

“Don’t me that,” Rhodey said on auto-pilot. Not that it would dissuade Tony from calling him that or any other nicknames that he happened to bestow on Rhodey.

“No can do, stud muffin,” and Tony’s eyes were still red.

“Don’t try and distract me and come here.” Rhodey opened his arms up, inviting Tony to hug him. Tony hesitated.

“Tony,” Rhodey sighed and looked up at the ceiling as he waited. He grunted when Tony slammed into him harder than expected. At least, Rhodey thought, Tony was gaining weight. He was already too thin with his maniacal diet of coffee and nothing but donuts.

Rhodey rubbed Tony’s back in a soothing manner before sitting down on the bed awkwardly with Tony in his arm. Because fourteen was still fourteen, all long limbs and awkward.

“It’s stupid,” Tony mumbled into shirt.

“What’s stupid?” Rhodey frowned. “Did they bully you again?”

Tony laughed softly. “No. No bullying.”

Which was good because Rhodey would have sought them out and punched them. And then get landed in jail which would suck because he wasn’t no OJ Simpson.

“Then?” Rhodey prompted when Tony went silent again. He petted Tony’s unruly hair.

“I was playing cards,” Tony admitted slowly. “Well, not cards. Dice. You know cube-y thing that you throw.”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Yes. Dice. I know what they are.”

“Right,” Tony said and cleared his throat. He resolutely didn’t look at Rhodey. “All the other guys…well they have girls you know.”

And Rhodey wondered not for the first time if he could clocked himself in the head. Because this was surely a conversation for Mr. Stark. Wait, scratch that. Jarvis, if Rhodey remembered correctly. The person that Tony mentioned more often than not.

“Girls,” Rhodey said flatly. Tony nodded his head which meant he headbutted Rhodey’s chest. He had a rather hard skull, but Tony went on heedless of the way he probably Rhodey a bruise.

“Yeah. Girls,” Tony said. “They were…”

He trailed off, and this was like pulling teeth. The kid said a lot of stuff in all his verbose rambles, but very little when it came to stuff that matter.

“They were?” Rhodey said patiently.

“They blew on the dice,” Tony said so quickly. “And nobody would blow on my dice because I’m—you know.”

That actually made Rhodey relieved. Because no fourteen year old, especially one like Tony Stark, should have girls blowing on his dice. Especially when they were probably trying to take advantage of Tony. It was also a kind of cute thing for Tony to be concentrated on.

“Hm…,” Rhodey said, lips twitching at the corner with humor. Tony tilted his head back and scowled.

“You’re not taking it seriously.”

“I am,” Rhodey said quickly to cover up his urge to laugh.

“Rhodey,” Tony whined, and Rhodey laughed as Tony tried to poke him. It only made him laugh harder. Then he calmed down.

“You shouldn’t be playing dice,” Rhodey said because that was more important.

“Why not?” Tony shrugged. “It’s not like it matters if I lose.”

Because Tony had the money to spare and all the things to waste.

“And don’t say I’m a kid,” Tony added when Rhodey opened his mouth to say just that because Tony really shouldn’t be exposed to such things even if he was a certified genius.

“You brat,” Rhodey said fondly instead. “ How’s this? If you want someone to blow on your dice next time, I’ll do it for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Rhodey didn’t know he was going to regret saying that later. Because Tony would proceed to drag him to every dice game and tell Rhodey to purse his lips and blow.


End file.
